Houtu wore a black robe. With a grave expression, she led the Underworld Deities toward Ghost Gate Pass in the west.
Once they had stopped, every gaze fell upon the mysterious barrier before Ghost Gate Pass.
Complex emotions flickered in Houtu's eyes: deep resentment, barely contained anger, and boundless regret, all tangled together.
She silently reproached herself, regretting that she had gone to Purple Sky Palace to listen to Hongjun's lectures, hoping Dao Ancestor Hongjun would tell her how the Witch Race could obtain primordial spirits.
That decision had not only brought terrible disaster upon the brothers and sisters she loved, but had also allowed that hateful old Hongjun to reap the Witch Race's precious destiny for nothing!
At the thought, Houtu unconsciously clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, as if that were the only way to ease the pain and fury inside her.
Ever since Dao Ancestor Hongjun and the mysterious Heavenly Dao had joined forces to trap her in the Underworld, endless pain and self-reproach had surged over her like a tide, closing in around her.
Her beautiful, sorrow-filled eyes were heavy with regret and guilt. She kept interrogating herself, turning over her decision again and again.
She knew that it was because she had stubbornly insisted on going to the legendary Purple Sky Palace to hear Dao Ancestor Hongjun preach that the Witch Race had suffered this near-annihilating disaster.
Every memory was like a sharp dagger, mercilessly stabbing her heart. She seemed to see her people struggling amid the flames of war, their cries filling the land;
she could feel their despairing gazes piercing through layer upon layer of mist to land squarely on her. Those once-vibrant faces had now become wisps of wandering spirits, drifting through the Underworld.
Houtu felt that everything was her fault. If she had not stubbornly acted on her own, perhaps the Witch Race would not have met such a fate.
The crushing guilt nearly took her breath away, but she also understood that regret could no longer change anything.
Then Chi You arrived, his rugged, bold face alight with uncontrollable excitement. He tightly held a treasure that radiated mysterious light, formed from Nuwa's Spiritual Sense, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
Without hesitation, Chi You placed it in Houtu's long, pale palm. At that moment, Houtu learned of Nuwa's plan, and the alliance between Nuwa and Houtu was officially sealed.
From that instant on, Houtu had waited quietly, like a patient hunter, for this crucial day to arrive.
Now, the long-awaited fire of anticipation in her heart finally blazed beyond restraint. Houtu was not the only one stirred; the many beings in the Underworld could hardly conceal their excitement, either.
Their hearts pounded like war drums, and every breath was filled with tension and anticipation.
If they could successfully stop Hongjun from attacking Nuwa, then Nuwa would have a strong chance of awakening the Human Dao. That would mean their carefully laid plan had succeeded in outmaneuvering Hongjun, the lofty figure known as the Dao Ancestor.
"Everyone, move!" Houtu cried, her voice a sudden peal of thunder across the sky. Before the words had faded, she acted first. The tremendous power of the Earthly Dao surged out of her, like a roaring dragon charging at the Heavenly Dao's seal with all its might.
Amid Hundun, the mysterious, ancient Purple Sky Palace stood in silent stillness. Suddenly, Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who had been sitting with his eyes closed as if asleep, snapped them open. A flash of shock crossed his face, and he cried out, "Houtu! You actually..."
But Hongjun had no time to say more. He had keenly sensed a powerful force striking at the Heavenly Dao Seal and weakening it. His expression changed dramatically, and a surge of unease rose in his heart.
Without hesitation, Hongjun flashed forward and vanished from Purple Sky Palace. The next moment, he appeared in the Underworld.
His hands moved rapidly, sending forth waves of light imbued with the boundless power of profound laws. They converged on the Heavenly Dao Seal, attempting to reinforce the crumbling barrier.
The moment Houtu saw Dao Ancestor Hongjun, a powerful aura radiated from her. Her face was filled with anger and resolve.
Clearly, Hongjun's arrival did not make Houtu retreat. Instead, she intensified her assault on the Heavenly Dao Seal.
In that instant, Dao Ancestor Hongjun felt an immense pressure bear down on him like a landslide, leaving him nearly unable to breathe.
Under such crushing pressure, he could only summon every ounce of the mysterious, mighty power of the Heavenly Dao.
He swiftly formed hand seals and chanted an incantation. Brilliant rays of light poured from him, continuously flowing into the seal before him.
"Houtu! Do not defy Heaven's will. Would it not be better to stay quietly in the Underworld? Think carefully about your Witch Race!"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's expression was cold, and his voice carried unquestionable authority. His gaze fixed on Houtu as if he could see straight into her heart.
Yet Houtu was unmoved. She stood tall and met Dao Ancestor Hongjun's gaze, her eyes full of defiance and resolve.
Knowing he would not be able to leave anytime soon, Dao Ancestor Hongjun sent a telepathic message to the Five Sages, telling them to send the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to Fire Cloud Cave after their investiture.
High on the imposing Kunlun Mountain, the Three Pure Ones were meditating in their respective abodes. Suddenly, a telepathic message from Dao Ancestor Hongjun rang in their ears like thunder.
When Taiqing Laozi and Primordial Lord received the message, both wore unconcealed excitement.
For them, receiving the Dao Ancestor's orders was an immense honor and opportunity. But Tongtian, standing nearby, looked thoroughly unwilling.
He frowned and said to his two elder brothers, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, we are the Pangu Orthodoxy! We bore the great responsibility of creating the world. How could we stoop to doing something so beneath our station?"
Taiqing Laozi's expression darkened. He replied sternly, "Third Brother, do not speak such nonsense! We cannot disobey our master. Since the Dao Ancestor has issued his decree, we must obey." Without further discussion, Taiqing Laozi pulled Tongtian along and sped toward the Human Race's lands.
Meanwhile, on distant Mount Sumeru, Jieyin and Zhunti were just as excited when they received Hongjun's message.
Greedy light gleamed in their eyes, as if they could already see an infinitely bright future.
Jieyin chuckled. "Junior Brother, this is truly a heaven-sent opportunity! As long as we follow the Dao Ancestor's instructions and successfully seal away the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the Human Race's destiny will be ours to command!"
Zhunti nodded repeatedly. "You're absolutely right, Senior Brother! Then our Western Sect will surely flourish and become the greatest sect under Heaven!" With hearts full of anticipation and ambition, the two set off for the Human Race's lands.
On the vast and boundless Human Realm, all of the Human Race's leaders had gathered at the summit of majestic Mount Tai.
They stood solemnly, awaiting a ceremony of great significance. This grand ceremony was to be presided over by Su Mu, the Human Martial Ancestor, who would personally confer the title.
There were two reasons Su Mu had been chosen to preside over the investiture. First, Yu had made an indelible contribution to the development of the entire Human Race.
He had devoted himself to taming the raging floods, saving countless common people from suffering and enabling the Human Race to live in peace, prosper, and multiply.
Second, Su Mu himself was already present. It would have seemed rather inappropriate to ask Golden Phoenix to preside over this important occasion instead.
Holding the Kongtong Seal steadily in both hands, Su Mu spoke in a voice like a great bell: "Yu labored tirelessly to control the floods and bring blessings to the people. He established a realm, meticulously cast the Nine Tripods, and divided the world into the Nine Provinces. His achievements are outstanding, his virtue sublime, and his merit immeasurable. He deserves to become a Great Emperor of the Human Race!"
As soon as Su Mu finished speaking, a deafening rumble rang out. Everyone looked up to see an enormous Golden Cloud of Merit appear in the sky.
The cloud resembled a towering golden mountain, shining with dazzling rays that illuminated the entire world. At its appearance, the great powers of the Primordial World were all left dumbfounded.
"Look! The merit bestowed upon the Human Race's fifth Great Emperor is so immense—it almost matches the merit once possessed by the Three Sovereigns!" someone cried.
"Indeed! It's unbelievable! How could this have happened?" others echoed, their faces full of disbelief.
"I suspect it was because of the floods this time. Yao and Shun both tried to control them, but their results were unimpressive."
As they debated, both Yu and Bei Xuan received supreme merit!
Bei Xuan calmly and carefully gathered up this priceless merit as if it were the rarest treasure in the world.
Yu, on the other hand, absorbed it without hesitation. In an instant, a mighty surge of energy poured into his body like a raging torrent.
As the powerful energy continued to flow into him, Yu's aura began to rise steadily. Already extraordinary in strength, he now shone like a brilliant star, dazzling all who saw him.
At last, once he had absorbed every bit of the merit, Yu broke through his bottleneck and entered the Early Primordial Golden Immortal realm!
From then on, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of the Human Race had all taken their rightful places!
As if ordained by fate, a vast and boundless destiny suddenly surged from deep within the Nine Provinces, the broad lands inhabited by the Human Race.
Brilliant light shot into the sky, illuminating the heavens in gold. In the blink of an eye, the once peaceful Nine Provinces had become an endless Golden Ocean.
The dazzling golden light rolled outward in surging waves, one after another, sweeping in every direction.
At that moment, the entire Primordial World seemed to tremble at the Human Race's sudden transformation. From mysterious spirit beasts hidden among towering mountains to ancient demons asleep in deep caves;
from herds of steeds galloping across vast grasslands to nimble aquatic creatures frolicking in immense lakes, countless living beings sensed the terrifying, earth-shaking power rising from the Human Race at the same time.
Some were stricken with terror, while others felt awe. They all stopped what they were doing and gazed toward the Nine Provinces, now shrouded in golden light, their hearts filled with fear of the unknown and uncertainty about the future.
On Shouyang Mountain, Nuwa sensed the rise in the Human Race's destiny at once. The destiny of Shouyang Palace had already liquefied. Nuwa rose and walked out of the great hall; the time had come for her to act.
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